With 2016 officially here, our parties and excitement are but a thing of the past as we return to school and work. There’s nothing quite like the quiet streets over the holidays, where people gather around loved ones leaving so much of the city feeling abandoned. I’ve always been really drawn to the quiet industrial areas that populate the city, because they are the hub of so much activity during the work week, and all but forgotten for all the rest of the time in between.

Black and grey will always be a staple, and this look was inspired as a sort of winter parody on the classic coastal stripe vibes of the spring. With the palette entirely in greyscale, the monochromatic cold adapts this classic look to a winter environment. The oversized merino wool sweater from Minimum is perfect for feeling cozy during those long, cold nights. Paired off with black pants and chunky military inspired boots, both from Zara, it really is the winter city equivalent to the laid back charm of coastal style.

I hope everyone is enjoying the first few days of their new resolutions, and all the best in achieving what you wish to do this year! I’ve just started the first week of my final semester in my undergraduate degree, which means the countdown to being done (forever) is finally on!

With New Years Eve just around the corner, the hectic holiday season is coming to a close once again. Amidst the noise and the parties there are moments in the snow where all of the static noise of the city seems to go away. As the sun sets, the glow of the snow seems to soundproof the world and slows us down if only for a moment. Take an opportunity to be with your thoughts and reflect on the past year. Imagine your goals for the year to come, and in this moment listen only to your thoughts. This final freeze frame of the year is a time to reminisce and recount your experiences, lessons, and successes.

I am all about mixing textures, lengths, and contrasting structured pieces with laid back elements for the perfect balance. For this look, it was all about a coastal inspiration of relaxed luxe, but applied to a winter outfit with a cashmere turtleneck and camel waistcoat. Layering is a winter essential, especially when you layer your warmest wool garments. The combination of the wool waistcoat and cashmere turtleneck is the perfect city outfit, moving between indoors and out, and keeping moving.

The ripped jeans were a staple factor in achieving the perfectly undone element in this look. I love wearing a great distressed, faded pair of jeans in winter as an unexpected contrast to the usual deep blues and rich tones we often gravitate towards. It is a simple way of elevating your look, and switching it up, all while giving your favourite pair of summer denim a little bit of love and attention. Light ivory, camel, suede, and gold accessories with a washed blue denim works regardless of the season, and this winter take on a classic combination is a great go to.

Thank you for the ongoing readership, love, and support! I am wishing you all the best for a prosperous and exciting New Year in 2016!

In these final days of autumn, the shorter daylight hours are reflected in the cold humming of the city. The chill that overwhelms you as you wrap up in as many layers as you can find, all while being consumed by the incoming force of winter. Heavy air weighs down, making every moment in the darkness feel as though it is purely your own. No observers, no distractions, simply a forceful break to attend to the moment.

Fall in the city this year has been something unlike I’ve ever experienced growing up. Normally we have a heavy coat of snow by the end of November, and temperatures well below zero. This year, however, the season took every minute to slowly transition to the cooler winter temperatures. While today we had our first snowfall, Autumn really felt like a season this year. But as with any good thing, it is coming to a close – and that is something that you can just feel.

I have been wearing a lot of pieces with a longline silhouette lately, I just really like the oversized look. Being tall and very slim it just feels much more in proportion than something very cropped and skin tight. Layering a simple grey and black look like this one was all about tonal values and texture. The black chelsea boots and pants, paired with a heather grey shirt and deep grey alpaca sweater made for a look that I just can’t get enough of. It is warm and relaxed, yet feels refined and timeless.

Long lines, a healthy dose of minimalism, and a dash of something dapper. This look was inspired by some luxe pieces I was sent by Canadian–based Aristocrats Bows & Ties. I am always really interested in scale, proportion, and tonal balance. This outfit, for me, was a study in white, black, and warm grey. The pop of red from the flower lapel, a personal favorite accessory of mine, adds an unexpected touch of vibrance that I really liked.

A classic, draped black trench coat replaced a more traditional black blazer for a slightly undone look. I balanced this classic with a new take on another classic: a longline white collared shirt by Minimum. Extending the lines and opting for a more effortless oversized look made this feel a lot more subtly sophisticated. Plus, with the longline trend gaining a lot more traction, especially in menswear, it is easy to find these longer and more oversized pieces. For someone tall and skinny like myself I feel like these lines just fit me a lot better, where I often find traditional length shirts and sweaters to be too short.

Shirley Tse from GirlNamedShirl Photography did an amazing job of photographing this story, and the photos really speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Well, as the title would suggest: Summer is here (and has been for some time). As always, life gets hectic and busy and the blog gets pushed to the side. Between travel, work, and courses extending into Spring term this year I am really happy to finally enjoy some laid back summer vibes. I’ve been really getting back into the swing of things and feeling rested once again. This has in turn opened my mind back up to all of my creative outlets. I’ve also been starting to get back into collaborating with my amazingly talented friends which has me very excited for the next few months.

The weather has been really all over the place this summer, and it can be hard to plan an outfit that lasts you the entire day. From blisteringly hot sun to sudden downpours, the weather is putting up a fight that seems to be hard to battle. I’ve ended up wearing a lot of different light/oversized layers in my attempt to keep the varying conditions under control. Starting off with a light tank and shorts, it is easy to throw on a huge shirt like the one pictured which I recently thrifted. Easy, comfortable, and with a color and fit perfect for summer this outfit has been a real go to. Paired with a woven belt, and antiqued silver and bronze accessories this look really embodies summer in my eyes. I wore my fringed suede Zara moccasins to top everything off, and these shoes have become a real favourite since breaking them out of my closet in February during my trip to California. I guess that overall the best way to sum up my style this summer is really bringing that laid back California back to Canada where I can live the dream for a few more weeks.

Along with the photos, I worked on a short fashion film which you can watch as well! :)

As luck would have it, the warm, spring-like weather we were experiencing has come to an end. I really wish it could’ve stayed above zero degrees celsius for a few more days, after all, I’m headed South next Thursday!

Alas, the cold brings with it the desire to be warm. That’s really it. That said, I rarely dress appropriately and always freeze on my way to class – but at least I pay a little bit more attention to what I wear on chilly mornings. The most important aspect of cold weather dress is really the layers. I love playing with scale, color, and unexpected combinations of classic pieces. For this look it was all about deconstructed menswear. I knew that my Club Monaco wool overcoat would be a must, but I really wanted to offset the tailored look of the coat with a more casual, comfortable alternative. I created a monochromatic palette with my oversized cashmere AllSaints turtleneck (one of the warmest materials for cold days) and paired that off with a destroyed pair of cool blue Nudie Jeans and brown Zara boots. The look was really a perfect laid back city look, and one of my favourites. One of my favourite ways to achieve an effortless style is really to play a lot with balance. It’s all about the mix and match, the give and take. Pulling from a broad spectrum in order to bring together the perfect combination.

All things considered, I was still very cold whilst taking these photos. Sometimes even the warmest combinations of wool and cashmere still aren’t enough. In that event, it really is best to stay inside with a cup of your favourite hot beverage and hibernate until the thermometer raises back up into more human temperatures.

For now, I am counting down the days until I am laying under the hot sun!

Well, I suppose that it was bound to happen eventually… I have caught my cold of the winter. Even with a healthy diet and a positive attitude, I seem to have lost this battle (at least for now) and I will have to embrace a slower pace over the next few days. Oh well, thank goodness for planning ahead and getting a new look ready prior to being sick! There in lies the Silver Lining! ;)

I am all for mixing tones, textures, and sizes to create a great look. For this outfit I was using some simple layering techniques to embrace the warmer, almost spring-like weather that we have been experiencing this January in Alberta. Starting off, I paired a simple and relaxed faded jean and a pilled (I bought it that way – and love it) silk blend tee from Oak + Fort along with a Club Monaco cardigan for an added layer of warmth. I kept the fit looser and more relaxed, but in a way that looks effortless yet purposeful. Keeping the colors faded and pairing with black is an easy way to make a relaxed outfit look considered and balanced. All of the tones are working in sync, and there isn’t too much light or dark. From there, I Accessorized with a classic chunky black boot from Zara and minimalist Daniel Wellington watch from Harlow High street, and it all came together in the end.

Well, I think that I can hear the kettle whistling so that is my cue to brew some more hot tea and try and shake this cold off before I jet off to a warmer destination very soon! I hope everyone is staying healthy!

Well, it’s officially been almost a year since my last blog post – and what a whirlwind of a year it has been! So much has changed, and I am really so excited to be where I’m at in my life right now. I have missed creating new content, it really is a creative outlet for me and amidst a crazy work and school schedule it’s nice to find time to do something for yourself!

I’m in my fourth year of my Bachelors of Design degree (only one more to go!) and it is really strange to look back on the portfolio of work I’ve created and see how far I’ve come. I’ve also been working at a new store on The High Street which has been life changing and has brought with it a whole new family. Who says you can’t love the work you do?

I also have so much to look forward to in the coming weeks, most notably a much needed vacation over reading week! I can’t wait to be really creative, take tons of photos, and also get a tan at the same time. It’s going to be amazing!

I have been obsessed with this Club Monaco cable knit sweater lately. I love having an oversized, chunky–knit sweater to wear in the winter. The temperatures here have been so up and down – freezing cold one week, spring weather the next. I find that this is really the most essential layer, because it is so easy to add a great coat and a warm scarf for colder days, but no matter the weather it is still comfortable on it’s own. Also, I’ve been loving ivory lately, it’s really such a classic color – and one that I (surprisingly) didn’t really have a lot of in my wardrobe. That’s what initially drew me to buy this sweater, and I am so glad I did! I’ve since paired it with my distressed jeans and leather moccasins and it is the perfect outfit for cozy days!

I’m so excited to be back, and I am going to try and make more time for what I love to do, so stay tuned!

First of all, I know that my blog has been largely unpopulated with content for many months, but I have sincerely missed posting and utilizing this blog as my creative outlet. It has been a very busy year with design school, one like I have never experienced before, but a lot of fun managed to be found amidst the stress! Now, against all odds – here I am once again!

Not to be confused with the actual animal, which is not at all suited for a winter climate – I am talking about the colour camel! Really one of the most diverse colours to have in your closet, simply because it looks great all year round and is such a classic.

I live in Canada, and I have not owned a winter coat for years. I know, I know – how do I survive? Well, in the past, I have layered up to try and stay warm mostly because I thought that many/all of the winter coats I was finding either were hideous, puffy Michelin Man puffer coats or simply a nice coat that just didn’t have a great fit.

Winter coats, no matter the breed or quality, are always pricey. I didn’t want something really cheap with a tacky faux fur hood, so I knew that I would be making an investment. Investments of all kinds take careful planning and consideration, and although I knew I wasn’t looking to buy a house, the challenge of finding the right winter coat seemed almost as daunting a task.

Finally, after years of searching I had found my coat. I ordered the coat through my local Club Monaco store, and absolutely love the fit, length, colour – everything! It really has become my staple this winter, and it is a quality coat that didn’t break the bank! It is great for layering which means that I can wear this coat on the coldest-of-cold days as well as those slightly less than brisk winter days when I need fewer layers.

It is really a classic wool coat, iconic of great menswear from the good old days. I think what I like most about the coat is really its simplicity and versatility. I feel like I can dress this coat up or pair it seamlessly with a casual pair of jeans and sweater. That’s really what having a great winter coat is all about – wearing it!

I hope that all is well and warm in your lives! Let’s continue to wish these cold days away and invite spring with open arms!

June has been off to a great start, despite lots of rain and cool weather in the city. To be honest, I can’t really say that I dislike the rain. I’ve always loved to embrace those days to be productive inside, or just catch up on some sleep. Either way, I think that rain is more refreshing than draining!

Even though the temperature has dropped, I still wanted to wear mostly summer pieces that I layered to stay warm. I have aways loved muted colours and tones, and pieces that have a little bit of a worn look to them – or at least when it comes to one of my casual, summery days! I pulled out my favourite pair of Nudie Jeans and paired them with a Zara t-shirt and mustard yellow shirt from H&M. Simple accessories, and a simple look that makes going out in the rain comfortable. Also, no need for sweatpants when you have a great pair of denim – so leave those at home everyone! ;)

I hope all of you have been enjoying your summer so far, and for those of you stuck in the rain: make the most of it! I am having such an amazing month and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store!